William goff sears



(No Model.)

W. G. SEARS.

COTTON PIGKER STEM.

Patented Nov-.23, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM GOFF SEARS,YOF GHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO HIRAM SANBORN OHAMBERLAIN, OF SAME PLACE.

COTTON-PICKER STEM.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,167, dated November 23, 1886.

Application filed June 19. 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

vBe it known that I, WILLIAM Genn Snfins, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Picker Stems; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Vwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the let-ters and figures of 'reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in cotton-picker stems; and it consists in such an improved arrangement and construction of the teeth and ribs upon the cylinder as will facilitate the rapid and easy picking of the cotton. It will be noticed that in the drawings annexed to this specification I have illustrated the cylindrical stem las containing coiled springs and supported by a central rod, in like man ner as has already once been fully described in my application for Letters Patent filed February :5 27, 1885, Serial No. 157,213. This, therefore, I shall not proceed to again claim, broadly, but shall confine this application to the improved construction of the cylinder itself and to its combination with the internal springs.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Fi gu rel isaside elevation of the stem. Fig. 2 is a vertical section lengthwise of the stem; Fig. 3, a vertical section crosswise of the same; and Fig. et is a partial view of a stem 5 having the ribs attached as separate strips.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in the several views.

A represents a sheet-metal cylinder, constructed of copper, brass, or any other suitable 4o metal of proper thickness, and made in. one or more parts soldered or riveted together. At intervals along the length of the cylinder ribs or ridges c a are struck up from the sheet metal and encircle the cylinder parallel with each other; or, instead of striking these up from the cyliudricalsurface, they may be made as separate strips and attached in any proper manner, as a. Between these ribs and parallel therewith are circumferential rows of teeth 5o b b, formed in the metal itself of the cylinder Seria] No. 169.205'. (No model.)

by stamping out rows of triangularly-shaped apertures, and leaving the parts b b thus stamped out to serve as the teeth. The triangular shape is not essential, as it is only necessary to cut the aperture into a shape which will allow the tooth to have a point. These points are slightly elevated or projected outward, so as to readily engage the cotton tobe picked and tear it from the boils. These teeth are made close to each other bystainping them out in such manner that the point of the one will almost be cut from the metal composing the body of the tooth next forward. Thus nearly all the available surface of the cylinder is made into teeth, which, being close together and following each other in quick succession as the stem revolves, will be more effectual in picking cotton than were the teeth alternated between longitudinal ribs, as has been the case heretofore. The ribs serve to support and 7o strengthen the cylinder and counteract any weakening which' might be occasioned therein bythe multiplicity ofthe teeth.

The transversely ribbed cylinder having rows of closely-set teeth between the ribs possesses many advantages over the other forms now in use, since the ribs, being more numerous,will strengthen the cylinder more than a few longitudinal ridges; also, theteeth can be set more closely together and the cotton will bemueh more completely picked from the plant than in pickers where a rib is made to interl vene between two successive teeth, for in the rotation of the stein itis found that more or less cotton will be ypassed over when the ribs are longitudinal, as the rib takes up the space which should be occupied by a tooth, and the cotton which this tooth might gather is left ungathered. By my improved construction herein described this difficulty is remedied, as the teeth are set as close together as is possible. The same objection, further, as has just been urged against longitudinal ribs cannot with equal justice be stated against my circumferential ridges, since it is absolutely necessary to havea certain amount of the cylindrical surface unpunched with apertures, and it is evident that no more of this surface is taken to fashion the ribs than must necessarily be left to strengthen the cylinder, as the teeth are roo punched out close to the ribs and no surplus surface is left.

It is often found convenient,when the metal of which the cylinder is composed is sufficiently thick, to sharpen the teeth after they have been stamped out, so as to make the point and edges keener and more ready to grasp the cotton.

B represents the central shaft or supportingrod by means of which the stem is attached to the cotton-picking machine. Its inner end is inclosed by a band or ferrule, D, and the rod and ferrule are preferably fastened together by parallel faces projecting from the inside of the ferrule and fitted to the spindle or shaft. This ferrule D is suspended and held in position in the central line ofthe cylinder by coiled springs C, arranged as shown in Fig. 2; but this construction and arrangement of the central springs I do not here specifically claim, as the same has already been made the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent above referred to.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In acotton-pickerstem,an outer envelope or cylinder yieldingly supported upon a central stein, and provided with parallel circumferential rows of teeth which are struck from the metal itself of the cylinder, and circumferential continuous ribs alternating with the rows of teeth, substantially as described.

2. A cotton-picker stein consisting of the cylinder A, having circumferential rows of 35 

